Casket sealing construction



May 17, 1955 J. P. WILKIRSON 2,703,302

CASKET SEALING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Jhn P 142116213012,

7, 1955 J. P. WILKIRSON I 2,708,302

CASKET SEALING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1954 INVENTOR. J P WiZKirSon May 17, 1955 J. P. WILKIRSON 2,708,302

CASKET SEALING cousmucuou Filed Dec. 16, 1954 5 Shee ts-She et 3 INVENTOR.

Jc'nz p. Wilkinson J. P. WILKI RSON CASKET SEALING CONSTRUCTION May 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 15, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

May 17, 1955 J. P. WILKIRSON CASKET SEALING CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 16, 1954 INVENTOR 1.72172 P mifsozz United States Patent CASKET SEALING CONSTRUCTION Jim I. Wilkirson, Waco, Tex.

Application December 16, 1954, Serial No. 475,663

21 Claims. (Cl. 272) This invention relates to casket closing and sealing means.

Burial caskets are commonly closed by two hinged lids or caps as they are sometimes called, and are sealed by gaskets which are compressed more or less when the lids are tightly closed. The prior art shows many different ways of closing and tightening lids to seal caskets. Without attempting to analyze the drawbacks of these prior art structures, it can be stated that nearly all of them require too much time or labor, one well known construction, for example, requiring an operator to turn a screw at one end of the casket.

In accordance with my invention, I provide improved sealing means for hermetically sealing the lids when closed down on the casket, and improved lid-locking mechanism.

The improved lid-locking mechanism of my invention is actuated at least in part by one of the handles which is used in carrying and handling the casket. The preferred mechanism is actuated by swinging said handle up and down, that is, on horizontal pivots, and preferably the mechanism is so built that the latches are moved stepby-step, each swing of said handle moving the latches one step simultaneously toward or away from full locking position. While the latches move step-by-step, the preferred mechanism makes it possible to seal the casket by moving the latches from completely retracted position to full locking position in seven seconds. Also the preferred mechanism has a powerful action, that is, it gives the operator the benefit of a high mechanical advantage; and this feature combined with the very rapid action just mentioned and the further feature that no tools are needed, not even a screwdriver, makes for a casket-locking action which I believe is more satisfactory than anything on the market or known in the prior art.

Further, in accordance with the invention, the lid which is at the foot end of the casket is adapted to be closed, sealed and locked by the operator entirely independently of the lid at the head end, and preferably by two mechanisms mounted inside the casket and each operated by swinging a single lever by hand.

Also in accordance with the invention, the lids are so shaped at their opposed or meeting edges, and carry sealing means so disposed, that a hermetic seal is provided that is of unusual efiiciency and is likely to have a long life.

This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 384,726, filed October 7, 1953, now abandoned.

The casket hinges which I have designed for cooperation with the mechanism of this invention are described and claimed in my application, Serial No. 389,925, filed November 3, 1953.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of a practicable embodiment of the invention which together with a modification is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a casket equipped with one form of the invention, the casket lining and other parts being omitted for clearness of illustration;

Figure 2 is a view like Figure 1, but showing the lid at the foot end of the casket closed;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional elevation showing the casket with its lids closed but not locked;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the casket;

Figure 5 is a cross section through the casket showing the mechanism at the foot end thereof;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing the casket-locking mechanism at said foot end, including the handle which operates it;

Figure 7 is a detail in sectional elevation of the operating mechanism;

Figure 8 is another detail showing especially the locking means which renders the operating mechanism inoperative;

Figure 9 is an elevation showing the locking means per sc;

Figure 10 is a diagram showing a slightly different form of the casket-locking mechanism in unlocking position;

Figure 11 is a diagram showing the casket-locking mechanism of Figure 10 in locking position;

Figure 12 is a detail in vertical section showing casketsealing means and the casket-latching means;

Figure 13 is a detail in elevation showing two positions of one of the latches;

Figure 14 is a detail in sectional elevation showing the sealing of the joint between the two lids at the points where said joint meets the top edges of the casket;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary elevation of a casket, with part of the lid walls broken away, showing another form of latching and sealing mechanism, the parts being in locked and sealed position;

Figure 16 is a view like Figure 15 but showing the parts in unlocked and only partially sealed position; and

Figure 17 is a section on line 1717 of Figure 15.

Referring particularly to the drawings, 1 have shown a sheet metal casket 20 without any lining or finish on the interior or exterior, having two lids or caps 21, 22, lid 21 being at the head end and lid 22 being at the foot end. Each lid is hinged upon the top of the casket by at least two hinges, not shown here because disclosed in my application identified above. It should be understood that the invention may be used on a casket having a single lid mounted on the casket by at least four hinges.

The preferred arrangement is to have two independently swung lids as shown.

To lock both lids, a plurality of cam-action latches '(Figs. 3, 12, 13) are employed. Each latch 59 includes a curved camming finger 51 defined by a curved slot 52 whose inner Wall 52a is circular, with its center on the axis of the latch pivot pin 53, while its outer wall is arcuate and extends outwardly an increasing distance from said axis, so that slot 52 is wider at its outer end than at its inner end. The camming finger 51 is designed to engage a keeper pin 54 fixed in a keeper plate 55 secured in the edge of the lid, and due to the design of the parts, the camming finger draws down the lid and pulls it even tighter against the sealing gaskets until the keeper pin finally reaches the inner end of slot 52. Each latch 50 has its pivot pin 53 secured transversely to a pair of depending flanges 56 which are integral with and depend from a slotted plate 57 that is secured as by welding to the upper edge of the casket. The lower end of each latch 56 is an operating arm 58 having a pivotal connection 59 with a reciprocating link 69 (or other link to be described). As link 60 is reciprocated, latch 50 will oscillate between the fully locked position of Figs. 11 and 12 to the fully retracted full line posiends to the inner face of the caskets side walls.

tion of Fig. 13. When two lids are provided, as shown in the drawings, there will be at least two latches and keepers at therear and at least two latches and keepers at the front of the casket for each lid, or a total of eight latches and keepers. As will be shown, all eight latches may be operated by operating a single lever which is also a Carrying handle for the casket, or in a different arrangement within the scope of my invention, a single lever located inside the casket may look the lid at the foot of the casket and another lever (also a carrying handle) may lock the lid at the head of the casket. If preferred, a single lid closing the entire'casket may be hinged to the casket body and locked by eight or more latches simultaneously operated when a casket handle is swung.

Reciprocating link 60 is shown as pivotally connecting the lower ends of only latch-operated arms 58, and one of said arms has an extension 58a making it longer to permit a pivot connection with one end of a second link 61 which extends almost to the foot of the casket.

supported in a horizontal position at the foot of the ing vertically and being fixed at their upper and lower There will be two links 60, two links 61 and two cranks 62, as there are sets of latches 50 at the front as well as the rear of the casket; thus both sets of latches will be operated simultaneously, when shaft 63 is rotated, to lock and effect sealing of lid 21 or to release said lid.

Shaft 63 passes through a metallic housing 66 that is welded or otherwise secured and sealed to the inside wall of the foot end of the casket, and adjacent the points where shaft 63 enters the housing, a pair of sealing bearings 67, 68 are provided, so that any airor moisture which may enter the housing can not enter the casket, nor can there be a reverse flow of gases from the gasket through the housing to the exterior. One of the carrying handles 70 at the end of the casket (the other end handle being shown at 71) is pivoted on pins 72 to swing up and down through a limited arc. The upper end 73 of handle 70 strikes a lug or arm 74, when handle 70 is raised, and as arm 74 is fixed to a reciprocating plunger 75 located within housing 66 plunger 75 will move down when handle 70 is raised. A headed pin 76 passing through a slot 77 in the lower end of plunger 75 is riveted or otherwise secured to the Wall of the casket and serves to limit movement. of plunger 75 and hold the plate adjacent the casket wall. Ann 74 passes through a slot 78 out of the casket end wall. It will be clear that the opening of slot 78 is sealed by thehousing 66 and bearing seals 67, 68. A pin 79 is riveted to the inner wall of housing 66 and extends through a slot 80 in plunger 75 thereby providing a guide for the plunger which co-operates with headed pin 76. A retractible coil spring 81 has its upper end fixed to pin 79 and its lower end fixed to another pin 82 that is riveted to plunger 75 in the uppermost position permitted by pin 79 and slot 80, and in this position arm 74 is in contact or almost in contact with the upper end 73 of handle 70. Any upward lifting or swinging of handle 70 will move plunger 75 downwardly, and release of handle 70 or a downward swing of it will let coil spring 81 retract the plunger to its uppermost position. Near its upper end, plunger 75 carries a slotted arm 83 having a pin-and-slot connection 84 with one arm of a bell crank I lever 35 that is loosely carried on shaft 63. The other arm of the bell crank lever extends downwardly and at its lower end a pawl 86, which has a weighted end 87, is carried by means of a bolt 88. A nut 89 secures the pawl but the pawl is free to rock on a smooth portion of bolt 88, and has its toothed end 90 engaging a ratchet wheel 91 fixed to shaft 63. Another pawl 92 engages the ratchet wheel on the upper side and is weighted to tend to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel at all times.

The other end of link 61 is pivotally connected to a crank 62 which is fixed to the end of a shaft 63 that is rotatably As the parts are viewed in Fig. 6, each oscillation of the bell crank lever 85 causes the ratchet wheel to rotate the width of one tooth in a clockwise direction. Preferably the ratchet wheel has about thirty teeth; hence each swinging of handle 70 up and down will rotate shaft 63 one-thirtieth of a revolution. Shaft 63 thus rotates its cranks 62 step-by-step from the position of Fig. 11, where the latches are fully extended, to the,

position of Fig. 10, where the latches are fully retracted. Fifteen up and down movements of handle 70 are necessary to move the latches between their extreme positions as just mentioned. In an actual test, these fifteen movements require about six seconds, if the handle is operated rapidly.

The two carrying handles 70, 71 have ornamental plates 95 which are screwed to the end walls of the casket. Plate 95 conceals slot 78 in the casket wall and arm 74, being behind the handle 70, is also concealed. A hook-shaped locking lever 96 (Figs. 8 and 9) is pivoted on a pin 97 secured to the end wall of the casket and is adapted to be swung over the arm 74 to hold the arm and hence plunger 75 in the down or lowermost position. The lower end of locking lever 96 extends through a slot 98 in the bottom of ornamental plate 95, so that said lower end may be engaged by the fingers of the operator to swing the locking lever into or out of locking position. If the locking lever 96 is active, obviously the handle 70 cannot operate the plunger 75,

, hence cannot turn shaft 63 or move latches 50. The

ceiving a sealing gasket 103. It is preferred that beveled surface 100 be plane and lie at an angle of about 10 relative to the vertical, while the complemental surface 101 is also plane (except for groove 102) and lies at an angle of about 80 relative to the horizontal. When the lids are closed, lid 21 will lie closely adjacent lid 22 'the casket and holds a gasket 111 of a soft plastic.

" vertical plane.

and will compress gasket 103 to make a seal which is complete exceptat the front and rear edges of the lids, that is, except at the meeting areas of the two lids and the top of the casket. At the two points (front and rear of the casket) where the joint between the lids meet the top edges of the casket a special seal is provided, as

shown in Fig. 14. These special seals 105 are provided by a soft sealing material such as soft rubber or its equivalent. fixed on a flange 106 which is integral with a bell crank lever 107 which rocks on a pivot 108 in a Pivot 108 is fixed to the casket underneath the top edge thereof. The top edge of the casket has an opening 109 just wide enough to pass the soft seal 105. Opening 109 is in the bottom of a sealing groove 110 which extends all the way around the top of A complementary soft plastic gasket 111a is provided almost entirely around the edges of both lids so as to contact gasket 111 when the lids are closed. See Figs. '5, 6 and 12. When the bell crank lever 107 is in'its extreme upper position, as shown in full lines, its soft seal105 will not only seal opening 109 but will contact sealing gasket 103 at its end and will also contact the overhanging casket lid 21. The bell crank lever 107 has a sliding pin connection 112 with reciprocating link 61, so that when said link is moved to move the latches 50 to casketlocking and sealing position, the soft seal 105 will be moved upwardly to plug the hole 109 and to complete the seal with the gaskets 103, 111, 111a. When link 61 is moved in the opposite direction, or to the left as viewed in Fig. 14, the bell crank lever is relieved of pressure from pin 112 and may swing to the dotted. line position under the intluence D1 ravity. Obviously the mechanical advantage afforded by the lid-locking mechanism described above will force the soft seal 105 through the hole 109 even if the soft seal in relaxed condition is materially larger than the hole, as is preferred. The described construction makes for an extremely tight seal at the two points where a break in the casket seal is most likely to be found.

Referring to Figs. and 11, I have shown the linkage arrangement when the foot and lid 22 is to be locked by hand from inside the casket. The latches 114, 115 on each side of the casket are reversed, that is, their pointed upper ends are directed toward the foot end of the casket, while latches 50 have their ends pointing toward the head end or" the casket. which are nearest the foot end have operating arms 116 pivotally connected as at 117 with reciprocating links 118 each of which lies horizontally and extends longitudinally of the casket on the inside, near the corresponding side wall. The other two latches 114 have relatively long operating arms 119 each pivotally connected as at 120 with the link 118 at the opposite end from connection 117. The pivotal connections 117, 120 are such as to form a parallel motion linkage, arms 119 always being parallel to arms 116, so that the two latches 114, 115 move to the same extent when link 118 is reciprocated. The long operating arms 119 extend some distance below the pivots 120 to provide convenient handles permitting the operator to reach into the casket after lid 22 is closed and swing lever arms 119 to lock and seal lid 22. Normally this will be done before the funeral service, and usually lid 22 will not be raised after the service. Lid 21 of course may remain open while the service continues, but afterwards will be closed, locked and sealed by operation of the carrying handle 70 as previously described. A coil spring 125 attached at its upper end to the casket and at its lower end to the link 118 (or to one of the latches, not shown) tends to hold the latches 114, 115 in open position (Fig. 10) or in latched position (Fig. 11).

In Figs. 15, 16 and 17, l have shown another form of sealing mechainsm for the joint between the two casket lids and the top edge of the casket. Here the link 61 is shown to be pivotally connected at 59 to a slightly modified form of latch 50a, which is pivoted as at 53 to the depending flange of an angle bar 126 that is welded to the top edge of the casket on the inside. Reciprocation of link 61 by rotation of shaft 63 and crank arm 62 as described above causes latches 56a to move from the fully open position of Fig. 16 to the fully latched posi- 7 tion of Fig. 15, the latches then engaging the respectivepins 54 and drawing down the lid to compress seals 111, 111a to seal the casket. An arm 127 is pivoted at 128 to angle bar 126 to swing in a vertical plane, and said arm has an ofiset 129 which has a sliding or camming engagement with the top edge of reciprocating link 61. As link 61 reciprocates, it also rises and falls, causing arm 127 to rise to the position of Fig. or to move down to the position of Fig. 16. A soft seal 13% fixed to the free end of arm 127 on the upper side will, as shown in Fig. 15, be forced into the space 131 between the seals 111, 111a to seal the joint at the point where the lid sections 21, 22 meet said seals.

While I have shown the mechanisms in considerable detail, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the showing or by the above description, but

The two latches 115 mecnanism and providing an operator-swung lever for working the lid-locking mechanism from outside of the casket after the casketis closed by the lid; and casketsealing means interposed between the lid and the casket.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the casket sealing means includes also hermetic sealing elements sealing working parts of the lid-locking mechanism so that the casket wall is sealed at the point where said casket-carrying handle is operatively connectible with the lid-locking mechanism.

3. The combination of a casket having a lid hinged upon the top thereof; a lid-locking mechanism mounted on the casket and engageable with the lid to hold the same in casket-sealing position; a casket-carrying handle pivotally mounted on the outside of the casket and adapted to be swung up and down through a limited arc; and means operatively connecting the handle and the lid-locking mechanism and constructed and arranged so that swinging the handle continuously up and down will efiect a full cycle of operation of the lid-locking mechanism from full engagement to complete disengagement and back again to full engagement.

4. A casket lid locking construction comprising, in combination, a casket having a hinged lid; a plurality of latches movably mounted on one of the walls of the casket; a plurality of keepers on the lid constructed and arranged for co-operation with the latch-es to hold the lid locked when closed; handles mounted at the opposite ends of the casket permitting handling and carrying of the casket; and mechanism mounted on the casket walls and operable upon movement of one of said handles to move all of said latches simultaneously thereby to engage or be disengaged from said keepers.

5. A casket lid locking construction comprising, in combination, a casket having a hinged lid; a plurality of latches movably mounted on one of the walls of the casket; a plurality of keepers constructed and arranged for co-operation with the latches to hold the lid locked when closed; handles at the opposite ends of the casket permitting handling and carrying of the casket; and mechanism including a pawl and a ratchet operatively connecting one of said handles with said latches, said mechanism being constructed and arranged to move all of said latches simultaneously step-by-step toward full locking engagement with said keepers and step-by-step away from locking engagement and into fully withdrawn position.

6. The combination of a casket having a lid hinged upon the top thereof; a plurality of latches swingably mounted on one wall of the casket and adapted to rise into lid-locking position and be retracted to lid-releasing position; means acting as a lever and pivotally mounted on a wall of the casket on the outside thereof so as to swing about a horizontal axis; and mechanism including a pawl and ratchet for operating said latches step-by-step from full lid-locking position to fully retracted position, said mechanism being actuated by said lever means.

7. The invention defined in claim 6, wherein the means acting as a lever is a handle by which the casket may be carried; and means are provided to lock said mechanism for operating said latches against latch-operating movement, said locking means being manually operable.

8. A casket having a body closed by a pair of hinged lids; sealing gaskets interposed between said lids and the body and also between said lids where juxtaposed; a lidlocking mechanism mounted on the casket on the inside and engageable with one of the lids to hold the same down; a hand-operated lever on the inside of the casket adapted to operate said lid-locking mechanism; a pair of casket-carrying handles pivotally mounted on the casket on the exterior thereof; a second independently acting lid-locking mechanism mounted on the inside of the casket and engageable with the second lid to hold the same locked; and means operatively connecting one of the casket-carrying handles with said second lid-locking mechanism, said means being actuated by up-and-down swinging of said one handle.

avoasoa 9. The invention defined in claim 8, wherein the means operatively connecting said one handle with said second lid-locking mechanism includes a pawl and ratchet and operates s'tep-by-step so that a multiplicity of up and-down movements of said one handle will efiect complete locking and sealing of the portion of the casket closed by the second lid.

10. The invention defined in claim 8, wherein there is a manually-operated locking means mounted on the exterior of the casket and adapted to engage a part of said means that operatively connects one handle with the second lid-locking mechanism, said manually-0perated locking means rendering said last-named means inoperative;

11. The invention defined in claim 8, wherein the means operatively connecting said one handle with said second lid-locking mechanism is enclosed partly in a hermetically sealed housing, and the sealed housing is adjacent said one handle but is on the inside wall of the casket, the parts being so constructed and arranged that operation of said means by said one handle has no effect on the seal aliorded by said sealed housing.

12. The invention defined in claim 8, wherein the means operatively connecting said one handle with said second lid-locking mechanism includes a plunger having a projection engaged by said one handle when lifted thereby to cause said plunger to move downwardly, a spring attached to the plunger to cause it to move upwardly, means to guide the plunger in itsup and down movements, a pawl operatively connected with said plunger, a ratchet operatively connected with said pawl,

'a shaft extending horizontally at one end of the casket and fixed to said ratchet to be rotated step-by-step, a crank fixed to one end of said shaft, and a linkage pivotally connected with the outer end of said crank and operatively connected with the lid-locking members.

13. The invention defined in claim 8, wherein the means operatively connecting said one handle with said second lid-locking mechanism includes a plunger slidably mounted for vertical reciprocation on the inside wall of the casket, said plunger having a projection extending through a slot in the wall of the casket, said one handle when lifted engaging said projection to cause said plunger to move down, stops being provided to limit 'movement of the plunger in either dirrection, a coil spring being anchored at one end and connected to the plunger at its other end to retract the plunger upwardly when the handle is released or lowered, a ratchet wheel being secured to a horizontal shaft, said shaft being mounted on the inside end wall of the casket and extending to a point adjacent a side wall of the casket, a bell crank lever connected to the plunger near the upper end, a pawl pivotally mounted on said bell crank lever and engaging said ratchet Wheel, a holding pawl also engaging said ratchet wheel, a crank fixed on the end of said shaft which is adjacent said side wall of the casket, and a linkage pivotally connected with the outer end of said crank and operatively connected with the lid-locking members.

14. The invention defined in claim 13, wherein the plunger, the coil spring, the ratchet wheel, the bell crank lever and the two pawls are all enclosed in a housing which is attached to an inner wall of the casket surrounding the point where the projection extends through the slot in the wall of the casket, the shaft to which the ratchet wheel is secured passing through said housing, the housing having a sealing means at the point where the shaft passes thr ugh it and being hermetically sealed to the inner wall of the casket so that air and moisture cannot enter the casket through or adja cent said housing.

15. A casket having a body closed by a pair of hinged lids; sealing gaskets interposed between said lids and the body and also between said lids when juxtaposed;-

two separate hand-operated lid-locking mechanisms mounted on the casket on the inside, each mechanism including a plurality of cam action latches which may be raised above the top edges of the casket body to engage complementary keepers on the lids, one ofsaid mechanisms having a handle located and operable on the inside of the casket to lock the lid at the footend of the casket, the other of said mechanisms having a handle operable on the outside of the casket to lock the lid at the head end of the casket and thus seal the casket.

16. The invention defined in claim 15, wherein the handle that is operable on the outside of the basket is also one of the carrying handles of the casket.

17. The invention defined in claim 15, wherein the second lid-locking mechanism which locks the lid at the head end of the casket includes a pawl and ratchet, a shaft rotated by the ratchet, a crank rotated by the shaft, a linkage connecting the crank and the latches, and means operatively connecting the handle that is on the outside of the casket with the pawl so that swinging of said handle rotates the shaft step-by-step; the parts being so constructed and arranged that continuous swinging of the handle causes the latches to rise into keeper-engaging positions and to descend to keeper-releasing positions, and again to rise and descend, and so on.

18. The invention defined in claim 17, wherein. the handle that is operable on the outside of the casket is also one of the carrying handles of the casket, and a handoperated lock is mounted on the outside of the casket adjacent said handle to lock the means that operatively connects the handle with the pawl, so that when said lock is operative the casket may be carried with the aid of said handle without operating the lid-locking mechanism step-by-step.

19. A casket having a pair of independently hinged lids closing its top, one at the foot end of the casket, the other at the head end, sealing means interposed between the casket and the two lids, and other sealing means interposed between the meeting surfaces of the two lids, lid-l0cking means, mechanism for moving said lid-locking means through a complete operating cycle, an operator-controlled element on the outside of the casket for operating said mechanism, and sealing means that close and seal the casket at the two points where the two lids join and meet the casket, and last named sealing means bein connected to and movable by said mechanism into sealing position simultaneously with the move ment of the lid-locking means to lid closing and sealing position.

20. A casket having a pair of independently hinged lids closing its top, one at the foot end of the casket, the other at the head end; sealing means interposed between the casket and the two lids, and other sealing means interposed between the meeting surfaces of the two lids; lid locking means including a longitudinally reciprocable bar or link on the inside of the casket, a plurality of latches swung by said bar or link and a plurality of keepers on at least one of said lids for engagement with said latches to lock at least one lid; an operator-controlled element on the outside of the casket for reciprocating said bar or link to lock at least one lid and to release the same so it may be swung open; a bell crank lever having a sliding pin connection with said longitudinally reciprocable bar or link; and sealing means fixed on the other end of the bell crank lever, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the sealing means last mentioned seals the point where the two lids contact each other and the top of the casket, said sliding pin connection including a pin fixed to said longitudinal reciprocable bar or link and adapted to contact an arm of the bell crank lever and swing said lever into sealing position when 7 9 consists of an arm pivoted near one end to the casket to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the second mentioned sealing means, a soft seal being fixed to the free end of said pivoted arm on the upper side and adapted to seal the casket at one of said two points, said pivoted arm having an offset part, and said mechanism for mov- 1 9 ing the lid-locking means including a reciprocating link with which said offset part has a sliding and camming contact, so that said pivoted arm is raised to sealing position and lowered out of that position as the link rises and falls.

No references cited. 

